(The Center Square) – Democrat Vice Presidential pick and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz is again facing scrutiny over his military retirement after Trump running mate J.D. Vance accused Walz of running for Congress to avoid deployment in Iraq.
“When Tim Walz was asked by his country to go to Iraq, do you know what he did? He dropped out of the Army and allowed his unit to go without him,” Vance said Wednesday at a Michigan news conference.
Walz enlisted as a member of the National Guard at age 17, serving for 24 years in Nebraska and Minnesota. When he ran for Congress the first time in 2005, he held the rank of command sergeant major in the 1st Battalion, 125th Field Artillery.
On March 17 of that year, the National Guard Public Affairs Office announced a possible mobilization of part or all of Walz’s battalion to serve in Iraq over the following two years.
At that time, Walz said he was determined to stay in the race.
“As Command Sergeant Major I have a responsibility not only to ready my battalion for Iraq, but also to serve if called on. I am dedicated to serving my country to the best of my ability, whether that is in Washington DC or in Iraq,” Walz said in a campaign news release. “I don’t want to speculate on what shape my campaign will take if I am deployed, but I have no plans to drop out of the race.”
Almost exactly two months later, May 16, Walz retired honorably from military service without having seen combat. He won the congressional election in 2006, and won re-election five times before running for Minnesota governor. Walz has served as the state’s governor since 2018.
The Harris-Walz campaign responded to Vance’s accusations with praise for the governor’s record, stating “he chaired Veterans Affairs and was a tireless advocate for our men and women in uniform — and as Vice President of the United States he will continue to be a relentless champion for our veterans and military families.”